Nhl, Hockey | featured news

The NHL on Saturday suspended Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres for 25 games for launching himself into an opponent during a playoff game earlier this week.

The St. Louis Blues were 6-7 when coach Ken Hitchcock came aboard. They've been among the NHL's best ever since.

Troy Brouwer scored on a power play with 1:27 left, giving the Washington Capitals a 4-3 victory Saturday and moving the defending champion Boston Bruins a loss away from elimination.

Playoff rookie Braden Holtby followed up a shaky outing with a superb one by making 44 saves Thursday night, and Alexander Semin scored the go-ahead goal, leading the Washington Capitals to a 2-1 victory over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins that tied the first-round series at two games apiece.

Jonathan Quick made 41 saves, Dustin Brown scored on a long rebound with 13:30 to play, and the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings pushed the Vancouver Canucks to the brink of elimination with a 1-0 victory in Game 3 on Sunday night.

Nicklas Backstrom scored 2:56 into the second overtime Saturday to give the Washington Capitals a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins and tie the first-round playoff series at a game apiece.
Braden Holtby stopped 43 shots for Washington in his second career postseason game.

The Vancouver Canucks carry the NHL's best record into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second year in a row. The New York Rangers are on top of the Eastern Conference for the first time since they won it all in 1994....

Marc-Andre Fleury made 35 saves to tie the Pittsburgh franchise record for wins and the Penguins clinched home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Chris Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang each had a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh, which will be the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference for the fourth consecutive season. The Penguins will play the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round.

Sidney Crosby's return after three months of inactivity didn't hurt the chemistry of the Pittsburgh Penguins one bit as they surged closer to the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers.

Things are looking better in the NHL these days, but some franchises continue to struggle.